


Favorite Holiday

by amaryllaus



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-06 21:01:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16840354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaryllaus/pseuds/amaryllaus
Summary: Christmas was Jisung’s favorite holiday until he had to volunteer during his break. It wasn’t as bad as he had thought especially after meeting Jaemin.





	Favorite Holiday

If you were to ask Jisung what his favorite holiday was, it would of course be Christmas. Jisung loved getting free stuff. Who wouldn’t? He was still at the age where he would receive presents instead of feeling obligated to buy people presents. He had to take advantage of his young age while it lasted. Christmas was supposed to be his favorite holiday. He was supposed to be at home unwrapping presents right now not volunteering for some annoying kids. 

Technically, it was his fault that he didn’t do his required volunteer hours back in the Summer or even during the Fall semester. The hours were due at the end of the year and he was now forced to do them during his break. So here he was at some random community center trying to entertain some kids. The sign up information said something about giving to children and something about community, but Jisung barely skimmed through it. Honestly, it was just some place where parents could drop off their kids. 

It was kinda sad once Jisung thought about it. It was the Christmas season for pete’s sake shouldn’t parents at least take the time to spend time with their family? Jisung practically had to beg his parents to go to this volunteer event. They were always so extra when it comes to the holiday season. They were the type of people to put up holiday decorations once Halloween was over and blast Christmas songs to some poor neighbors. Once Jisung started break, his parents would spend every second together with him. While Jisung appreciated his parent’s eagerness it was sometimes embarrassing and annoying. Maybe this volunteer event wasn’t as bad as he thought. Maybe he needed to take a breather away from his parents. 

A kid interrupted his reflection, “Are you finished with my bracelet? It’s been like an hour.” 

Okay maybe he would rather deal with his parents than with spoiled brats who do nothing but complain and spread germs everywhere. “Can’t you be patient?” Jisung talked back. 

Jisung was assigned to make bracelets which is fine and all but he dropped his bracelets at least fifty times and it’s only been an hour. He only finished like two and they didn’t look that good either. And now this kid is starting to cry and Jisung wants to cry. He just wanted to go home. 

“Do you need help?” 

The sudden voice made Jisung jump and made him drop a bracelet again. Jisung sighed keeping his eyes on the dropped bracelet. He picked it up, “No I don’t need help.” 

“Yes he does!” The kid in front of Jisung practically shouted for the whole world to hear. 

Jisung glared at him and was ready to throw the bracelet at the kid’s face but a hand stopped him. His eyes followed the owner of the hand. As their eyes met Jisung’s breath hitched. He was handsome no doubt. Jisung didn’t expect such a cute guy to be here, to even talk to him, it was an understatement to say it caught him by surprise. He dropped the bracelet again. 

“See!” The kid yelled, “Jaemin can you make my bracelet? I’ve been waiting for him for hours and you make them so nice.” 

Jaemin, which Jisung figured was the cute guy’s name, picked up the dropped bracelet and started working on it. If Jisung wasn’t so enamored with this Jaemin person then he would have most definitely chucked a bracelet at the ungrateful kid. Absentmindedly, Jisung just looked as Jaemin work on the bracelet and talk with the kid. In a matter of seconds Jaemin was able to make the kid, who was crying just a minute ago, to smile. Truly a Christmas miracle. 

“Is this your first time here?” 

Jisung just stared at the boy when he realized that he was actually talking to him. “Umm uh y-yeah,” he stuttered and Jisung mentally slapped himself. He already embarrassed himself enough. 

Jaemin smiled. The cute boy was even cuter when he smiled, Jisung noted. 

“Not good with kids?” Jaemin asked. 

Apparently, Jaemin makes Jisung not be able to talk or breath for that matter so Jisung just shaked his head. Jaemin chuckled and Jisung wondered how beautiful his laugh must be. 

“I can tell.” Jaemin scanned through the scattered remains of unfinished bracelets, “I’m guessing you’re not good at making bracelets either.” 

Jisung scoffed. This guy was cute but that wasn’t enough for Jisung to just let his teasing pass through. “Yeah? well.” He looked at the finished bracelets Jaemin made. How did he even finish them so fast and so perfectly? He looked at Jaemin which was a bad idea cause now all Jisung could think of is how much his eyes twinkled.

“Well?” Jaemin smirked. He clearly enjoyed making Jisung suffer. 

Eventually, Jisung settled with a “whatever” and continued with playing around with the strings of the bracelet. On the other hand Jaemin continued making bracelets and chatting with some kids, what Jisung was supposed to be doing. 

“You don’t have to help me. You should go back to your original job,” Jisung told Jaemin once there was no more kids in front of them. 

“It’s fine. My job was to just go around and help people so technically i’m doing my job unlike someone.” 

Jisung lowered his head. 

Jaemin noticed how the atmosphere shifted, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to sound mean,” Jaemin apologized sincerely, “I just saw you struggling and wanted to help. It’s not like we all become good at something immediately. I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it.” He offered an encouraging smile. 

“Thanks,” Jisung mumbled, still looking at the ground. 

He heard a sigh. The atmosphere felt heavier. Jaemin still smiled and talked animatedly towards the kids but it felt more forced. Jisung focused on making a bracelet just so he doesn’t have to think of why he had this ugly feeling in his stomach. 

His mind tuned out the surroundings until he realized that he completed a bracelet and it didn’t look that bad either. Excitedly, he told Jaemin and Jaemin smiled and ruffled his hair. Jisung couldn’t help but feel the blush creeping up on him as Jaemin praised him. He should be offended. Jaemin was treating him like a kid but it felt nice. Jaemin was nice. 

“We should clean up,” Jaemin advised.

Jisung didn’t realize how much time had passed. The community center was now pretty empty except for the several volunteers and a few kids waiting for their parents to pick them up. Jisung nodded and helped cleaned up the place. 

It was cold. Even if Jisung was all bundled up, courtesy of his parents, it was still cold. He wished his parents could pick him up faster so that he doesn’t have to suffer in the cold any more. Every kid already left and the only people who were left were a few volunteers waiting to get picked up just like Jisung. 

“Mind if I wait with you?” 

Jisung jumped. It was Jaemin. Of course it would be. He wished Jaemin wouldn’t sneak up on him. 

“Sure. Are you also waiting for your parents?” 

Jaemin paused for a minute before saying, “something like that.” Before Jisung could question what he meant his parents arrived. They were wearing Christmas sweaters and blasting some Christmas carols. Every person in the vicinity turned towards them as the windows rolled down and Jisung wished he could just disappear. He turned towards Jaemin who just stared wide eyed at his parents. 

He was in some kind of trance and Jisung had to nudge him to get his attention. 

“Sorry my parents get excited during the holiday season.” 

As if there was some kind of switch Jaemin smiled and walked towards Jisung’s parents. He politely greeted them and gave them both a bracelet before giving Jisung one also. 

“Do you need a ride?” Jisung asked as he rummaged in his pockets to find the only decent bracelet he made to give to Jaemin. 

“No it’s fine.” He turned towards Jisung’s parents. “It was nice meeting you Mr. and Mrs…” Jisung whispered his last name to Jaemin and Jaemin repeated, “Park.” 

Before Jisung hopped in the car he gave Jaemin his bracelet. Jaemin just stared at the bracelet as if it was some kind of alien artifact. Jisung knew that Jaemin was gonna politely refuse and give the bracelet back. He didn’t know why he knew, but Jaemin seemed to be the type of person to give people things without a second thought but refuses when people offer him something. So, before Jaemin could even think of giving the bracelet back Jisung was already on the backseat of the car. Next time he would give Jaemin something that was useful, like a scarf maybe. 

Jisung stared at the rear view mirror until he could no longer see Jaemin. He gazed at the bracelet Jaemin made. It had a lot of hearts. Somehow, even though Jisung just met him, he thought that the bracelet fit Jaemin. 

“Was that a new friend?” his mom asked which spiraled into Jisung describing how his day went and about Jaemin. 

“He sounds nice you should invite him to one of our dinners,” his dad suggested and Jisung simply just nodded. He hoped he’ll be able to see Jaemin again. 

Jisung didn’t need to hope for too long as he saw Jaemin volunteering again. It seemed that volunteering at the local community center was the norm for Jaemin. It didn’t take long for Jisung to notice that all the volunteer coordinators and all the kids and parents knew Jaemin.

It was early morning. It was slightly different from when Jisung volunteered during the evening yesterday. There was a lot less kids and Jisung concluded that he liked volunteering in the morning better. Even if he had to wake up earlier. 

“You’re here again!” Jaemin beamed and Jisung couldn’t help but smile with him. 

His eyes trailed over to Jaemin’s wrist. He was wearing the bracelet. The bracelet that Jisung made. This observation, for some reason, made his heart do some weird flips. Jaemin chuckled when he saw Jisung eyeing the bracelet. 

“You’re wearing mine too.” 

Jisung looked at his wrist as if this was some new observation. He was in fact wearing the bracelet Jaemin had made. It was the first thing he grabbed when he woke up. He thought it would somehow break if he slept with it so he placed it on his bedside table. It would be embarrassing if Jaemin knew how much Jisung had squealed when he found out that Jaemin wasn’t some figment of imagination Jisung had made up. It would definitely be embarrassing for Jaemin to find out how much Jisung smiled to himself while looking at the bracelet. Yeah completely embarrassing. 

“Y-yeah.” Jisung really needs to stop stuttering. 

“You like it?” 

“It’s okay.” Jisung shrugged. It’s more than okay. It’s great, amazing even, but he’s not going to go out there and tell Jaemin that. 

Jaemin hummed. It was as if Jaemin could read Jisung but it could be just Jisung overthinking. Jaemin placed himself to a seat next to the younger boy. They were responsible for handling the games. It was much easier than the bracelets, Jisung thought. They just had to assist some kids, easy enough. 

Except it isn’t. The kids won’t listen to him nor would they stay in one place. Jisung looked to Jaemin with cries of help but Jaemin just stared at him, amused. Jisung had to force himself to stifle a curse word to the older. When Jisung was about to give up, Jaemin intervened and got the children in order. How? Jisung wouldn’t know but here the children were, listening intently and behaving themselves. Jaemin must be using some kind of magic to make these gremlins listen to him. If Jaemin wasn’t here, Jisung would have lost his mind. 

“Maybe you shouldn’t sign up for volunteer events that deals with children,” Jaemin suggested. The two were done with their hours and were waiting for their respective rides. 

“It was the only thing left I could do.” Jisung shrugged. 

“So you’re going to be here tomorrow?” There was a hint of eagerness that Jisung didn’t notice. 

Jisung raised an eyebrow, “Tomorrow’s Christmas.”

“Oh right,” Jaemin deflated. 

“Are you not doing anything tomorrow?” Jisung asked as he saw his parent’s car in his peripheral view. 

Jaemin also saw the car as he mumbled, “Not everyone has nice parents like yours.” 

He didn’t sound mad, Jisung noticed, a bit sad maybe. Before Jisung could figure out what Jaemin could have meant, his parents quickly rushed him to the backseat. They still had to do some last minute Christmas shopping, they told him. As Jisung looked back, Jaemin went back to his regular smile. It didn’t feel as genuine though. In fact Jisung didn’t think any of his smiles were as genuine as he once thought. 

It wasn’t until Jisung saw Jaemin walking home that he figured that Jaemin had sounded envious. 

It was normal, Jaemin had told himself over and over again as he walked to the all too familiar community center. It was normal that his parents weren’t there when he woke up. A business trip, they told him. That’s what they tell him every year and every year Jaemin puts on a smile and tells them it’s okay. 

Ever since he could remember, his parents would drop him off to the community center every time they would go to these business trips when they couldn’t be bothered to pay for a nanny. The community center was like his second home. When he was old enough he started volunteering more and more frequently at the community center. It wasn’t like he was needed at home anyways. It wasn’t like Jaemin always hoped that they wouldn’t have a business trip during Christmas break. It wasn’t like Jaemin was always left disappointed and upset. 

He was used to it. 

He was used to his parents prioritizing their work over their own child. Their only child at that. 

Jaemin walked with a bit more force until he realized that the community center was closed. It was always closed for Christmas how could Jaemin ever forget. It was the only day that his parents would try to leave free except this time they didn’t. Because Jaemin was already old enough to stay alone at home and because Jaemin was stupid enough to tell them it was fine. 

Except it wasn’t. 

It wasn’t fine and now Jaemin has to walk back home and spend Christmas alone. He wished his parents cared. He wished his parents would at least spend more time with him. It was selfish Jaemin told himself. His parents were out there trying to make his life a bit more better. Except it wasn’t getting better, it was getting worse. Jaemin just felt lonely and it was getting to him. 

People had it worse, Jaemin told himself. He’d seen it as he volunteered. There were kids who clearly had it worse. But, knowing that didn’t stop this empty feeling in his gut. He wished he wasn’t so selfish. 

His stomach growled. He was hungry and he was pretty sure he didn’t have any food at home. Great. Almost all the stores are closed and he had no food at home. The day was just getting better and better. 

His eyes trailed over to the bracelet. He didn’t know why he was so keen on wearing it. It wasn’t the best looking bracelet but it was given to him and Jaemin wasn’t used to people just giving things to him without some sort of compensation. Granted, Jaemin did give bracelets to Jisung and his parents, but that was normal. Jaemin being the one to give was normal. 

Jisung was an interesting person. Jaemin only decided to approach him after seeing how much he struggled trying to make bracelets. Jaemin liked helping people. Seeing people’s face lit up was the highlight of Jaemin’s day. He liked seeing people smile, he wanted to be the type of person that helped people to smile. So, volunteering wasn’t just some way for him to stay out of the house, it was also something he enjoyed. 

He knows when young people are volunteering just for the sake of finishing some school requirement. Jaemin disliked them. Sure, there were a few exceptions but most of the time these people didn’t want to be there. They would always complain and didn’t care about the betterment of the community. 

Jisung seemed to be the type of person at first. He looked like he would rather be anywhere but at the community center volunteering. Jaemin would usually let these people be, but something made him walk to Jisung. The first thing Jaemin noticed was that Jisung was awkward. It seemed like he didn’t know how to talk to children and sometimes acted like a kid himself. 

He should be the type of person Jaemin would find annoying especially after seeing how much his parents dote on him. Jisung had a life that Jaemin always wished to have. Maybe this jealousy would prompt him to hate Jisung but it didn’t. 

Jisung was nothing short of adorable. Even though he kept failing he always tried and tried and once he accomplished something he would light up so much. When he beamed and excitedly showed Jaemin his finished bracelet, Jaemin couldn’t help but coo at the younger boy. Jisung looked as if he was annoyed by all the kids but Jaemin couldn’t help but notice the little twinkle in his eyes when he played with them. Jaemin also didn’t miss how Jisung would praise the kids and how much he smiled when he saw a kid win a game. Jisung was genuinely enjoying himself and it’s been a long time since Jaemin had seen that when people volunteer. 

So, in short, Jaemin couldn’t dislike Jisung. 

“Jaemin?” 

Looking up, he saw the person that Jaemin was just thinking of. Maybe Jaemin was finally losing it cause Jisung couldn’t have been here right in front of Jaemin when he should be with his family right now. Right, this Jisung is just a figment of his own imagination. There was no way that Jisung would be here. 

Jaemin really needed a hug right now so what better course of action then to hug this figment of imagination. If Jaemin was hallucinating from his loneliness and hunger then he should take advantage of it. So he pulled Jisung into a tight embrace. 

Two minutes into the hug and Jaemin figured out that Jisung wasn’t a figment of his imagination. It was the actual person. Oh gosh he just hugged Jisung. Jaemin breathed in. There was no need to panic. Jaemin was a naturally affectionate guy. He hugged many people before, Jisung wasn’t any different. He totally wasn’t thinking of kissing him after their hug. No, of course not. 

Jisung was blushing. He was blushing and all Jaemin did was give him a hug. Gosh he was so cute Jaemin could just kiss him. Which would be weird, Jaemin reasoned with himself, because he just met Jisung two days ago and all he knows is how cute Jisung is and how huggable he was. Okay now Jaemin was being really weird. Now was not the time to be realizing that he has a crush. 

“So?” 

“So?” Jaemin repeated in hopes that Jisung would repeat what he said again. 

“So do you want to spend Christmas with my family?” Jisung elaborated when Jaemin just stared at him confused, “I mean I know this is a weird question but like I remember you hinting that you’ll come here to volunteer today or something. But, then I remembered that the community center would be closed and I wanted to make sure if you would be here. So, I convinced my parents to come here and then I found you. And my parents told me if you wanted you can come spend Christmas with us.” 

Jaemin continued to stare at him dumbfounded, “Why?” 

“I don’t know my parents-“

“No I mean,” Jaemin interrupted him, “I mean why did you come here?”

Jisung contemplated for a bit, “I was worried.”

“Why were you worried?” Jaemin asked. 

Jisung but his lip, “I don’t know I guess I kinda like you.”

Jaemin smirked, “Only kinda?” 

“Okay maybe more can you please just tell me if you want to come with me or not.” 

“I’ll go.” Jaemin hoped that he was able to mask the amount of joy he had felt right now. He wasn’t going to spend his Christmas alone. 

Jisung perked up and Jaemin has to restrain himself from hugging Jisung again. The little twinkle in his eyes didn’t help. 

“Oh yeah.” Jisung zipped open a backpack to reveal a wrapped present and handed it to Jaemin. 

“Can I open it?” 

Jisung nodded. Jaemin felt excited. It’s been a long time since anyone had given him a present. His parents would just give him money which was nice and all but there wasn’t really any thought on it. Eagerly, Jaemin unwrapped the present. It was just an ordinary red scarf but at the same time Jaemin felt like it was the most amazing thing that anyone has given to him. 

For the first time in a while Jaemin genuinely smiles, “Thank you.” 

If you were to ask Jaemin what his favorite holiday was, it would of course be Christmas. Why? Because it was at this time that he met one of the most important people in his life, Jisung.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic and what better way to start than with some jaesung fluff lmao I hope you enjoyed reading it! This is un-betaed so I’m sorry for any mistakes,,,I just wanted to write a cute Christmas fic so I did. I’m also bad at tagging but hopefully I’ll get better.


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